National Stores Inc.
Private
Traded asFallas Discount Stores
IndustryRetail
Founded1962 (age 64) in Los Angeles, California
Defunct2022 (age 4)
Fateclosure
FounderJoseph Fallas
LocationHarbor Gateway, Los Angeles, California
Num locations88 (at its height in 2020)
Area servedUnited States, Puerto Rico
Productsbrand name clothing, private label clothing, shoes, household items
OwnerMichael Fallas
Num employees≈2,200
WebsiteLast snapshot of official Fallas website 6 September 2022 at the Wayback Machine

National Stores Inc., was a family-owned company headquartered in the Harbor Gateway area of Los Angeles, California that had as many as 88 locations in 4 states and in Puerto Rico, and employed 2200 people nationwide in January 2022.[citation needed] As of 2023 National Stores Inc. no longer has any operating stores within the continental U.S. [1]

National Stores Inc. had done business as: Fallas, Fallas Paredes, Fallas Discount Stores, Factory 2-U, Conway, Weiner's, CW Price, Falas (spelled with single "l" in Puerto Rico) and Anna's Linen's by Fallas,[2][3] and offers brand name and private label clothing for men, ladies, boys, girls, juniors, infants and toddlers along with lingerie, shoes and household items.[4] Fallas Paredes had catered to the Hispanic American community.[5]

History

National Stores was started in 1962 by Joseph Fallas in a single downtown Los Angeles store as Fallas Paredes.[6]

The most recent CEO and owner of National Stores is Joseph's son, Michael Fallas, who started working as a stock boy at age five.[7]

Expansion

National Stores acquired 31 of the 97 Houston-area Weiner's store locations in 2001 when Weiner's began liquidation after filing for bankruptcy for the second time within five years.[8]

National Stores acquired San Diego, California-based Factory 2-U Stores, Inc. when it filed for bankruptcy protection in February 2004 and arranged for the sale of 172 stores to National Stores.[9] In August 2004, Factory 2-U stores liquidated, receiving $28.5 million from the sale to Factory 2-U Liquidation LLC, a consortium headed by National Stores.[10]

National Stores acquired the Conway Stores chain in January 2014.[11]

On August 27, 2015, National Stores performed a store lease takeover auction of 41 Anna's Linens store leases out of a debtor's sale.[12] Some previously Anna's Linens stores in certain locations will be branded "Anna's Linens by Fallas" according to the intellectual property rights acquired by National Stores and will continue the basic Anna's Linen product offering.[2][3]

Closings

In the second quarter of 2016, National Stores leaves a 600,000-square-foot regional distribution center in Otay Mesa, California and moves to a building development by Sares-Regis (SRG) in Perris, California, signing a $26 million 10-year lease, in an effort to realize a more centralized logistic location.[13]

In August 2018, National Stores filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection with plans to close 74 of its 344 stores under a reorganization plan.[1] The liquidation sales expanded to 184 Fallas and Factory 2-U stores starting in October 2018.[14] National Stores began to close more Fallas Paredes stores in early 2022.[15] [16][17][18][19] The COVID epidemic was cited as the cause of some of the closings.[20]

On August 31, 2022, National Stores closed all remaining locations throughout Puerto Rico and the contiguous United States as a result of further restructuring and liquidation of remaining assets.[citation needed]

Celebrity Endorsement

In November 2014, National Stores partnered with Mexican actress / musical artist Maite Perroni to introduce her Coleccion Maite Perroni, a contemporary fashion line inspired by her favorite designers reflecting her own personal taste.[21]

References

  1. ^ RIZZO, LILLIAN (6 August 2018). "Discounter National Stores files for chapter 11". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  2. ^ "Retail Brand Anna's Linens Intellectual Property To Be Sold". GlobeNewsWire.com. 13 August 2015. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  3. ^ Kimco Realty. "Anna's Linens by Fallas". 280MetroCenter.com. Archived from the original on 26 February 2015. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  4. ^ "About Our Company." National Stores. Retrieved on February 24, 2010.
  5. ^ Bailey Brianna (11 February 2014). "Oklahoma City-area businesses cater to Hispanic market". The Oklahoman. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  6. ^ Crabtree, Penni (3 September 2004). "S.D. clothing chain shrinking". San Diego Union Tribune. Archived from the original on December 24, 2014. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  7. ^ Guzman, Richard (15 April 2011). "Former Home of the Central Library Is Reborn as 88 Apartments". Downtown LA News. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  8. ^ Wollam, Allison (19 August 2001). "California retailer picks up Weiner's pieces". Houston Business Journal. Retrieved 25 February 2010.
  9. ^ "Factory 2-U going out of business". Houston Business Journal. 3 September 2004. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  10. ^ Gill, Holly M. (6 September 2004). "Factory 2-U to close". Portland Tribune. Archived from the original on December 24, 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  11. ^ Melton, Nicole Marie (10 January 2014). "Report: Conway sold to National Stores Inc., entire buying office staff laid off". FierceRetail.com. Retrieved 4 February 2014.
  12. ^ DiMartino, Mediha (28 August 2015). "Anna's Linens Postpones Part of Auction". Orange County Business Journal. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
  13. ^ BIBERMAN, THOR KAMBAN (26 May 2015). "National Stores vacating Otay Mesa building". The Daily Transcript. Archived from the original on June 30, 2016. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  14. ^ Hilco Merchant Resources (12 October 2018). "Store Closing Sales Begin Immediately At 184 Select National Stores As Part Of A Recent Chapter 11 Filing". prnewswire. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
  15. ^ "Fallas Paredes 'abruptly' closes Mall de Las Aguilas store". El Paso Times. January 29, 2020.
  16. ^ Nelson, Joshua (March 30, 2022). "Fallas Discount Store closing in Santa Maria after 8 years". Santa Maria Times
  17. ^ Guy, Jim (June 3, 2022). "This discount clothing store chain is shutting down its three Fresno locations. Here's why". Fresno Bee
  18. ^ Jenkins, William (June 15, 2022). "Mission mainstay Falla's to close in July. Will it be reborn?". Mission Local
  19. ^ "Fallas Discount store in downtown El Paso closing". KDBC-TV. July 6, 2022.
  20. ^ Kolenc, Vic (July 31, 2020). "Downtown Fallas store closes due to COVID-19 sales cuts; building renovation still possible". El Paso Times
  21. ^ "Latina Superstar Maite Perroni Partnering With National Stores Inc. To Launch Fashion Collection In The United States". National Stores Inc.. 5 November 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2014. – via PR Newswire.